Tag: Professional Development

Student Film from Perkins School for the Blind

Through the Lens(See Part 1)

I recently blogged about one of the producers from the hit TV show, Friends, teaching filmmaking at Perkins School for the Blind. It’s a remarkable example of how technology continues to empower those that are “differently-abled.” The NBC news story that served as the primary source for my blog post included a reference to a student-film that resulted from this class. Enjoy this powerful message from three Perkins students.

Screenshot Source: PSB1829

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Expanding Learning with Technology

This inspiration video was produced by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

Child Blowing-Up Balloon“This is about us. And and our students. And how we’re learning together. And also, it’s about the power of technology…Our job [as educators] is to expand horizons, to open doors, to blow minds. We achieve this by working together, by reaching out, by computing and counting and crafting, by being creative, by meeting our challenges head on and never shirking from a fight. It’s what we do everyday. We help students light the spark that expands that portion of the universe for which they are responsible  — their own minds. We build on what’s already there. We collaborate. We listen. We learn. We teach our students to listen for themselves, so that they can become the teachers and we the students. And we use technology as one tool in our toolbox to help us communicate, to help us work together. This technology isn’t an add-on…[It] is often the fastest, most immediate, and most effective way that we can speak to our students in a way they’ll hear us, in a way that sparks their imaginations, in a way that helps flip the learning process…” (Source).

Image Source: Parenting How

“Friends” Producer Helps Blind Filmmakers Find Vision

(See Part 2)

Blind Filmmakers Have Vision

“If you think that the ability to see is the first requirement for being able to make a movie, then you haven’t been to Kevin Bright‘s film-making class at the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston…Bright was the executive producer of the wildly successful show “Friends.” Now, he teaches students how to make films – even though many of them are completely blind. The videos they made show that while the students don’t have sight, they do have vision, and they provide a rare window into the world of the blind” (Source).

Technology continues to empower those that are “differently-abled.” While there are specially developed technologies that provide much needed assistance, beneficial uses of more commonly available tools continue to emerge. I frequently hear first and second-hand accounts about individuals’ lives being positively impacted by the opportunity to work, communicate, and move about in more efficient ways with the help of technology. The state of innovation marches forward and it is important that educators are aware of these kinds of technological contributions. They may lead to new opportunities for our students.

You can view one of the resulting student films, Seeing through the Lens, here.

Screenshot Source: NBC’s Rock Center

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3D Printing Pen that Lets you Draw Sculptures off the Page

3Doodler02“It’s a pen that can draw in the air! 3Doodler is the 3D printing pen you can hold in your hand. Lift your imagination off the page!” (Source)

“Forget those pesky 3D printers that require software and the knowledge of 3D modeling and behold the 3Doodler, the world’s first pen that draws in three dimensions in real time. Imagine holding a pen and waving it through the air, only the line your pen creates stays frozen, suspended and permanent in 3D space” (Source).

Learn more about 3Doodler.

Hat tip to one of my co-authors, Sharon Smaldino, for bringing this to my attention.

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Managing Online Identities Session at #MSMECA13

Keeping up with the state of technology is not easy. New social media services such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Diigo, YouTube , Tumblr, Instagram, and AudioBoo continue to emerge and users sign-up and setup profiles without considering the full ramifications of sharing personal information. Practical tips for helping you and your students thoughtfully setup and maintain your online identities will be shared.

Below are my slides for this session. All the workshop materials and resources are available on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.

 

View more presentations from Clif Mims

Resources from Storybird Hands-On Workshop at #MSMECA13

StorybirdStorybirds are short, art-inspired stories, presentations, reports, or tutorials you and your students make to share, read, and print. Storybird is a fun, collaborative website that can be integrated in all content areas and at all grade levels. It can be an effective resource for teaching parts of a story, the writing process, promoting creativity, and more. STEM and social studies teachers can use Storybird for engaging alternatives to traditional lessons, reports and presentations. Storybird also seamlessly keeps a portfolio of each student’s work.

Participants will be guided in setting up accounts and helped as they begin using Storybird.com’s tools and services. Participants will learn how to use the teacher-specific tools.

Below are my slides from the workshop that I’ve taught a couple of times this week at the Mississippi Educational Communications Conference (MECA) in Jackson, MS. All the workshop materials and resources (including a video tutorial, additional examples, notes, etc.) are available on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.

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Happy 6th Blogiversary

Spider-Man Cupcake

Today marks the 6th blogiversary of Clif’s Notes on Education and Technology. I am grateful to each of you with whom I’ve connected as a result of this online adventure. You’ve been a blessing to me personally and professionally.

Image Source: Kelley’s Cupcake Cupboard

Google Search Tricks

Google SearchThis Prezi by Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) contains many tips for using the Google search box to access the information you need — including answers to math problems, information about the current weather, and much more.

You can also learn more by visiting Inside Search for more tips and tricks by Google.

Image Source: http://easilymused.com

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Possible Implications of Teaching Content in Isolation

I encourage you to resist the temptation to dismiss this video as silly, as soapbox-ing, or not worth your time. Instead, watch the video in its entirety and reflect on its message.

Reflection

Reflection

I think the video sheds light on (and makes light of) some important issues in the classroom. I don’t agree that the Common Core is “the” answer. I’m not one to think a single approach is ever the best course of action. However, this video has engaged me in worthwhile reflection about learning, curriculum, preparing students for post-graduation, and more. I hope this prompts reflection for you, too.

I’d enjoy receiving your thoughts. I invite you to share them in the comments section of this post.

Related Resources

5 Questions about the Common Core by Yong Zhao

Through the Core – An Instructional Leader’s Journey through the Common Core by Robyn C. Trowbridge

ASCD and Common Core State Standards Resources

Thanks

Hat tip to Anna Clifford for bringing this video and the Through the Core blog to my attention.

 

Image Source: http://fergusonvalues.com

Shhh!!! The Students Are Learning

Facilitating Learning: Part 1

I was invited to be the speaker at the Arkansas Christian Educators Association Conference recently. Since I had more than 3 hours of time allotted, I was able to design a series of activities and discussions around the topics of facilitated learning and technology integration. I’m going to share some of the resources in a series of posts. This is the first entry in the series.

The information below is part of what I shared with the leaders of the various faculty groups participating in the conference ahead of time. This gave them a chance to consider some of the broad ideas prior to participating in the workshop. This was important as we ended the day by allowing attendees to breakout into their faculty groups. The goal was for the administrators to facilitate conversation about how the information presented during the day might fit into their schools, discuss some of the barriers and benefits, and to identify ways to support implementation. Flipping the instruction allowed the administrators to be exposed to the information ahead of time, reflect on it, and have the chance to better prepare to guide their faculty’s conversation.

Shhh

Shhh!!! The Students Are Learning:
Being an Effective Classroom Facilitator

Description

We often hear that teachers need to be facilitators of learning rather than deliverers of information. Through this workshop, we will begin to develop strategies for managing a classroom where students have a leading role in learning and the teacher becomes an engaged classroom coach. Strategies for designing and practical tips for implementing units will be shared.

Before You Begin

  • Please reflect on your experiences designing and implementing facilitated learning activities and units.
  • What worked well and what would you do differently next time?
  • What advice can you share with teachers preparing to facilitate learning?

Screencast

This screencast will provide you with an overview of the big ideas that we will be discussing. We will dive much deeper during the workshops and explore application across grade levels and curricular areas, strategies for implementation, benefits and barriers, and more. This video is simply intended to provide you with an early frame of reference as you participate in the upcoming workshops and as you prepare to facilitate the afternoon discussion with your individual school or division.

Shhh!!! The Students Are Learning: Being an Effective Classroom Facilitator from Clif Mims on Vimeo.